Do Retirees Get a Vacation?

[pacergal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst .... Vacation actually seems to have diminished since retirement.

This.
We had an extensive travel list before retirement. After knocking 4 off this year, we have enjoyed our time unplanned. We actually just sat down this weekend and reviewed our "list". Crossed off several spots as they were no longer interesting to us, but added one or two.
My "travelbug" does seem to have been diminished since retirement, not sure why. Maybe I no longer feel the need to "escape" from work!!

[Teacher Terry]

We usually take 2 trips/year for 10-14 days. I have booked a cruise for 2/2018 and 19. Got a good price so why not. We have 3 dogs and I don't like to be gone for too long because I miss them. We will take a 5 day RV trip the end of this month and then we take all the dogs.

[mickeyd]

My last vacation ended Friday. My next vacation beigns tomorrow.

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunset This year was great so far for traveling. We did 3 trips for a total of approximately 10 weeks. Right now, I'm feeling the itch to travel, but I'd like DW to pick a trip and book it, as I did all the travel arrangements this year (and last year). I don't need a new job as a travel agent.

See my sig line!

[FreeBear]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midpack It’s not called vacation when you’re retired, it’s called travel. However, we take one week vacations from cooking from time to time, going to a restaurant every night for a week.

Nice! We usually don't cook or for 1-2 weeks while on vacation. This is a big part of fun, not having to do the usual home chores.

When traveling we stay in basic Hamption Inn type places. Good enough for us and it's nice to have breakfast included, avoiding having to figure this out just to get going in the morning.

We skip lunch or have a light snack "on the road". Dinner out is usually nice or even very nice for us. It is a big part of traveling.

After our last 2 weeks again, we found that we enjoyed just staying at home for awhile and cooking and making coffee. We haven't been to a coffee house in more than a month, whereas we normally go a few times a week. The vacation change of pace is nice, but leaving home and coming back.

[daylatedollarshort]

We thought we would downsize and travel, but instead we kept the house and got a dog. We do more day trips these days since those are easier with the dog. We live in a tourist spot with nice weather most of the year so there's usually a lot to do locally. I plan a little something most days. Last night we were at the Chabot Space and Science Museum. We watched the space station orbit overhead on the observation deck and then heard a presentation from an astronomer at SETI on exoplanets.

[FreeBear]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst Vacation actually seems to have diminished since retirement.

I thought this was happening to us too. We only spent half our travel budget the first two years, for several reasons. We were recovering from the initial FIRE transition and the renovation and sale of a house. Tepid stock market performance at the time, right as I retired, made be a bit nervous.

Now, into our third year, we just went nuts. Spent twice as much as budgeted and have been gone 2 out of the last 6 months. We had a blast!

On the other hand, I doubt we'll go anywhere for almost 6 months. Got to deal with other medical stuff and take some strain off the withdrawal rate.

[brett]

Travelling, and preparing for travel, can take a lot of work depending on how you do it.

We typically do a fair amount of independent travel. We arrange everything on own after researching where we want to go.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptTom Now that everybody knows we're retired, it seems we're expected to always be around to help family and attend various functions.

Maybe you don't need a vacation - - you might just need to start saying "NO". It can be done without offending anybody, unless they have a huge chip on their shoulders.

We are retired, but don't travel. Every day is a vacation day for us. Or, as one might say, "Every night's a Saturday night, and every day's a Sunday". We do what we want, when we want to do it, and nobody can tell us we can't.

[Amethyst]

"We would be so happy you and me
No one there to tell us what to do
I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus' garden with you."

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R We do what we want, when we want to do it, and nobody can tell us we can't.

[daylatedollarshort]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R We are retired, but don't travel. Every day is a vacation day for us. Or, as one might say, "Every night's a Saturday night, and every day's a Sunday". We do what we want, when we want to do it, and nobody can tell us we can't.

We get quite a few seat filler tickets for weekday nights when it is harder to fill seats, so our running joke after coming home from some fun club or concert is "We call this Tuesday" or whatever weeknight it is. Every day is a vacation day for us, too.

[Sunset]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptTom Interesting. Do you suppose they release cabins in batches, like airline seats? Seems no matter when I book a flight there are always only a few seats available. Even if the plane is half-empty when I board.

I would suspect this if they showed limited availablitiy, a way to keep the price high. However the 3-4 sites I visted, including the cruise ship site itself all showed nothing available or "sold out".
A funny way to try to sell more unless it's simply true.

[brett]

We no longer book too far ahead when we travel. Unless of course it is a cruise or an AI.

Typically our winter trips are 8-10 weeks. Prior to leaving we know where we are flying to, when and where were are flying home from. Often the in between is subject to change. We may have a few short hop flights booked but and airport hotels if they are early flights but that is the extent of it. We have done this for the past four winters. This year will be the fifth. The only reservation/plan so far is a flight to Singapore and a flight home from Manilla 8 weeks later. We know we are going to spend time on the Thai islands on Andaman coast and a month in the Philippines. And a little time as possible in Manila.

That is the extent of our planning so far. When we do plan it will be the areas that we want visit. Arranging hotels, etc will be done en route, usually just a few days in advance. Same with local travel. So there is a fair amount of work prior to leaving and certainly while we are there.

[Surewhitey]

We explored vs. vacationed. Found some really quiet, sleepy, beach towns within a few hour's drive and went often to these. Traveling back stateside too was our vacation visiting friends & family.

[kevdude]

We still have kids in school (ages 15 and 13), so we still call it vacation. We do try to take nice trips during their time off. Our son is in 10th grade and does debate and we will sign him up for a 7-week debate camp next summer. Not sure how that will impact our plans, maybe we'll just spend time in the vicinity/region of the camp. Or we may just say screw him and go on a big trip whilst he's at camp (within the confines our our daughter's activities as well).

[Teacher Terry]

when we first retired my younger friends were always asking us to do things for them like take their dogs to the vet, sit at their homes for delivery, etc. I got pretty resentful and then just started to say I was busy.

[happy2bretired]

I have to take a vacation from my dog at least once a year. I love her but I need a rest once in a while. [emoji45]

[btdt22]

vacation

[vey-key-shuh n, vuh-]

noun

"A period of suspension of work, study, or other activity, usually used for rest, recreation, or travel; recess or holiday"


I consider myself as permanently unemployed and therefore ineligible for vacation

[FUEGO]

This weekend we booked a cruise just for me and DW. It's last minute - we leave in 5 days. This is a true vacation - we paid up for nonstop flights that will have us at the port when we need to be there and flying back home a convenient time after we return to the US. While on board we will do very little other than eat, drink, sleep, be entertained, and explore a few islands (or not; the hot tubs are pretty nice).

And we're leaving all the kids at home!

[MBAustin]

Good for you, FUEGO! It's good for both parents and kids to have a break from each other occasionally.

I don't call my trips vacations, but my BFF who ER'd before me does - her goal is to plan one per month. Her DH is very involved in significant volunteer roles (board chair, etc.) so they do have to plan around his schedule. Similarly, I have several commitments that limit flexibility in being away, but most months we have something that breaks up the routine.